The number of working Victorians seeking help from homelessness services is soaring in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and the state’s regional centres, new analysis reveals.
Council to Homeless Persons’ Employed & At Risk: The new face of homelessness in Victoria report, released on Tuesday, shows a 14% statewide jump in employed people seeking specialist homelessness services’ help.
The analysis shows the Casey, Wyndham, Greater Geelong, Greater Bendigo and Greater Dandenong local government areas experienced the biggest rises in workers seeking homelessness support.
Mildura, Latrobe, Greater Shepparton, Frankston and Knox rounded out the top 10.
Women accounted for more than 70% of working people seeking assistance, according to the report that analysed new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data.
The number of employed people who sought homelessness help increased in 61 of Victoria’s 80 local government areas.
CHP is calling for $5.6 million ($23.4 million over four years) in the 2024/25 May state budget to grow the Private Rental Assistance Program, remedy rental arrears and avoid evictions.
CHP CEO Deborah Di Natale said:
“This alarming rise in working Victorians seeking homelessness support is a frightening new front in the state’s crippling housing crisis.
“Melbourne’s outer suburbs and the state’s regional centres are at the eye of this savage cost-of-living storm.
“Not even a job is enough to guarantee a roof over people’s heads.
“Working women are the face of this crisis. Employed women escaping family violence are often faced with the impossible choice between shelter and abuse.
“With just $5.6 million in next month’s budget, the government could relieve enormous pressure on renters, and reduce welfare, justice and health costs that more homelessness leads to.
“These findings also underscore the urgent need for the state government to build at least 6,000 public and community homes each year for a decade to end Victoria’s status as the nation’s worst social housing jurisdiction.
“We can’t let this crisis slide into catastrophe.”